Two can play at the sanctuary state game. Late last week, President Putin issued a decree making Russia into a sanctuary country for people with traditional Christian values. You cannot make this stuff up; it could only happen in 2024.
In short, Putin’s decree waived certain Russian immigration requirements, such as demonstrating Russian language proficiency and passing a history test, for people applying for temporary residence permits. Applicants must come from countries “imposing destructive neoliberal ideological guidelines that contradict traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”
Traditional Russian spiritual and moral values are anti-LGBTQ+, orthodox Christian values.
Even more entertaining, Putin ordered the Russian government to compile a list of approved countries with “destructive neoliberal values.”
Who wants to bet the United States appears prominently at the top of that list?
In classic Putin fashion, the move was not just virtue signaling. The overheated Russian economy is thirsty for skilled workers. The category of only ‘neoliberal’ countries ensures temporary workers will come from preferred, higher-income areas. The ideological character of the test causes applicants to self-select for conservatism; liberals won’t bother applying.
I wish we could do the same thing for Florida residency.
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